The 2010–11 season was Nottingham Forest's third season in the Football League Championship, following promotion from League One in the 2007–08 season after spending three years in the third tier. Forest remained in this division after losing in the 2010 Football League play-offs. In addition to the Championship, Forest also entered the League Cup in the first round, where they were knocked out by Bradford City and the FA Cup in the third round, where they eventually were knocked out by West Ham United in the fourth round. In the league Forest once again made it the playoffs, losing to eventual winners Swansea City.
Summary
Forest announced their first pre-season friendly very early, the beginning of April the previous season, away at local neighbours Mansfield Town.
Early May saw Forest sign their first player of the new season, with the announcement that Radosław Majewski would be signing for Forest on a three-year deal, after a successful season-long loan, for £1 million. A day later, a second friendly was announced, for the same night as the Mansfield game. Forest would send a team to Prenton Park to play Tranmere Rovers.
On 20 May 2010, Forest announced that they would play Peterborough United and Kidderminster Harriers in friendlies on the same date.
Changes to members of the Forest Academy were seen on 2 June. Shane Redmond, Jordan Fairclough, Jean Biansumba, Danny Elliott, Tim Hopkinson, Sean McCashin, Carl Sibson, Matthew Sykes, George Thomson, Max Wright and Tony Diagne were all released with none of them making first team appearances. However, 5 youth players were offered new contracts. Mark Byrne had spent a successful season on loan at Rushden and Diamonds to earn his contract, with Young Player of the Year Karlton Watson, Tom Mullen, Zannettos Mytides and Kieron Freeman also earning new contracts.
Forest announced their 5th pre-season friendly against League One Playoff runners-up, Swindon Town, to be played on 31 July 2010. It was announced on 16 June that Forest would play Champions League semifinalists Olympique Lyonnais at the City Ground, to be played 28 July. More foreign opposition was confirmed in the form of SC Olhanense to be played during Forest's pre-season stay in Portugal.
July started with the announcement that longtime player James Perch was to leave the Reds for newly promoted Newcastle United. Perch signed a 4-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Two more players left the City Ground after Perch, but this time in loan switches. Mark Byrne made his way to Barnet and Joe Garner to Huddersfield Town both on six-month-long deals. Between these two deals, Forest won their first pre-season match 2–1 with goals coming from Robert Earnshaw and Matt Thornhill against Portuguese outfit S.C. Olhanense. Forest's first games on English soil saw them send out two teams to Mansfield and Tranmere. An arguably better side lost 2–0 to Tranmere, whilst a different eleven beat Mansfield 2–1. Three days later Forest again sent out two sides. A youthful Forest side saw them lose 3–0 to Kidderminster and a first team lost 1–0 to Peterborough, last season loanee George Boyd getting the goal for Peterborough.
Forest displayed an impressive performance against top European side Lyon, despite losing 3–1, and then went on to lose against Swindon in the final pre-season game, Kelvin Wilson on return from injury scoring an own goal. This completed Forest's programme of pre-season fixtures and was followed by Forest's first new arrival. Ryan Bertrand came to Forest on loan from Chelsea, until the turn of the year.
A day before Forest kicked off their season opener they let Julian Bennett go out on loan to fellow Championship side Crystal Palace for 6 months to help him get game time after being out with an injury for 18 months.